Howdy folks, so here’s my situation:

I need to start off and say that I have been told many times by multiple people that I often sell myself short. Not to hype myself up, just that I’ve come to not really trust my intuition regarding charging for my work.

I shoot comedy shows. Twice a month, I get $60 CAD to head across town to shoot a 1-1.5 hour long comedy show. 8 comedians, I deliver 10-15 edited photos of each to the host before 4PM the next day.

I need to stress these aren’t large venues, the shows are a couple steps up from open mics.

Now, since I’ve started with this promoter about a year and a half ago, I’ve greatly upgraded my setup (APS-C to full frame, new laptop and editing software) and I am very proud at the progress I’ve made quality-wise!

On top of that, the promoter I’m working with just let me know he may be securing a contract in the new year to host shows at a larger venue and wants to bring me along, so if I were to ask now would be the time.

Here’s what I’d want to propose to him:

  • At the lower-level shows:
    • $70
  • Larger shows
    • $100 for the shows at the new venue
    • The individual comedians would need to pay $10-15 for their photos on delivery and their approval (as of now the promoter shares the photos to the comedians to use and post, didn’t know he was going to do that when I first started)

I’m a little bit iffy on the last part, I have no clue if this is a standard; I am basing it off of a friend who did videography for another promoter where he would chop up the shows and sell the individual sets to the comedians on top of the base price from the promoter (with the blessing of the promoter).

I really don’t want to come across as greedy, but I want to start taking my photography more seriously and treating like a profession I actually want to pursue

Any thoughts folks?

  • OwnPomegranate5906@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    1 year ago

    If he’s a client, you don’t ask him for a raise. That is backwards thinking.

    You charge your rate. Period.

    1. You’re already not charging enough. If you factor in how much time you’re actually spending, I’ll bet you’re not even making minimum wage, and that is not even taking into account the cost of your equipment that you have to have to get it done. You should be charging an equipment fee on top of that that is equivalent to what you’d pay a rental house if you had to rent the gear you’re using. Whether you split that out to a separate line item is up to you.

    2. You cannot make a $500 client turn into a $5000 client. A $500 client will tolerate small incremental increases to account for things like inflation (which you should be revising your prices at least every year anyway), but if you want to make more money, go find a new client that pays what you charge.

    3. Don’t spend money on gear that will not get you higher paying clients. We all love new gear, but if your existing gear works, that money is better spent on marketing to gain higher paying clients. Get a client that needs better gear? Start off renting it. This is why you charge that equipment fee. If you can’t rent the gear to get the job done and still make at least minimum wage, then you are not charging enough.